


Love You This Way

by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, M/M, Masturbation, Mirror of Erised, Rough Sex, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:36:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumosed_quill/pseuds/lq_traintracks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James wonders where his brother has been secreting off to.  When he finds him in the attic with the Mirror of Erised, he gets more answer than he bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love You This Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gracerene](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracerene/gifts).



He doesn't like to complain because it might hurt Dad's feelings, but James doesn't actually like spending half his summer at Grimmauld Place too terribly much. Sure, playing Quidditch in the garden with Dad, Draco, and Scorpius is fun, but the day only lasts so long, and nights inside the house tend to be... Well, creepy as fuck, honestly. Nobody's taken it upon themselves to clear the ghoul out of the basement yet, there's still a Doxy problem in his closet, and though the elf-heads have been replaced by Draco's art collection, it still feels oppressively 'noble and ancient' in James' opinion.

It doesn't help when the one person who's made it bearable starts disappearing evening after evening.

James pokes his head into the library, certain he'll find his sister there. Lily looks up from a giant pile of books, her glasses slipping down her freckled nose. "What?"

Ever the polite one.

"Have you seen Al?"

She licks a finger and turns a page. "Saw him sneaking up to the attic earlier under Dad's cloak. Daft git doesn't realise his trainers show."

"He's not a--" James huffs. "Thanks, Lil."

"Shut the door on your way out."

James rolls his eyes.

He's halfway to the stairs when he nearly runs into Draco.

"Oh. James. We're just going out to Diagon to do some shopping. Would you like to come?"

James looks up the stairs and bites his lip. Normally, he'd jump at the chance to leave the house. It's not that he dislikes his family -- except for Lily. Getting out of Grimmauld with Dad and Draco would be fun. Especially since Draco's been in competition with Dad since James was a third year on who can buy the best surprise gifts. 

"Er..."

"And where's your brother? I haven't seen him in two days."

"Oh, well, he's been studying a lot."

Draco frowns. "A bit early for that, isn't it? Term doesn't start for a month."

"Lily studies all the time," James feels the need to point out.

"Well, that's a Ravenclaw for you. I guess Albus is merely displaying a healthy dose of Slytherin ambition, then." Draco smiles.

James returns it. "Right."

"If you change your mind, you know where to find us. If the crowds are thick, just Patronus your father."

"Will do."

Draco tousles his hair. He has to reach up to do that now. James got the gangly Weasley gene and towers over all of them. James watches Draco head off toward the library to invite Lily, and when he pokes his head into the room to speak with her, James sprints up the stairs, not wanting to alert his brother with the crack of his Apparition.

When he reaches the attic, he finds the door locked -- though it's nothing a whispered _Alohomora_ can't remedy. James steps inside. It's quiet except for the creaking of a floorboard here, the settling of a beam there.

He wanders through the maze of junk -- unwieldy cabinets, old chests, boxes, cauldrons, piles of books, piles of books _in_ cauldrons. He hears a floorboard creak again and follows the sound. He winds his way through the Black, Potter, and Malfoy family detritus, all shoved together now that Dad and Draco have been shacked up for the last four years.

James walks into an open space near the north window. He finds Albus sitting on the floor in front of a grand, ornate mirror James has never seen before in person but has heard about in the family legends, the stories of his father's heroism and such.

At first he questions whether this is really the same mirror. It could be a Black family relic after all -- something prized from Malfoy Manor. But as James nears and sees what the mirror reflects, he knows he's not mistaken.

And he can't not gasp.

Which, of course, makes Albus jump guiltily. He turns with such a look of anger and betrayal on his face, it's almost as if James had called him an ugly epithet when in truth he's yet to say anything.

He _can't_ say anything. He's just standing there dumbstruck, eyes wide, watching Al's enraptured reflection in the mirror as he... as he gets...

"Al?"

It's only now that James really looks at his brother's face again rather than the reflection of himself thrusting his cock into Albus' arse from behind, and he sees the tear tracks on his cheeks.

"Bloody shut up! You're spying! You're always spying on me! How could you, James?"

He stands in a hurry, and now that he's turned away from the mirror, it's innocuously blank.

"I'm not spying," James hastens to say. He knows he still looks shocked. There's nothing he can do about that. But he hopes beyond hope that he doesn't look disgusted. He can see Albus' pain so bright and awful in his eyes; James would do anything not to add to that. "I just came to find you. I... Why do we have the Mirror of Erised in our house?"

"That's what you have to say?" Albus stares hard at the dirty floor between them.

"Well... Dad never said. How'd you find it?"

Albus gives a humourless laugh. "Seriously, Jamie?"

James takes one step toward his brother, and Albus flinches away.

Shit, he's never done _that_ before. Albus has always been physically affectionate with James. Always. Well, until maybe six months ago. James does remember now finding him in his potions cellar back at Mum's. He remembers Albus bent over a cauldron for hours, worried about his O.W.L.s. He remembers reaching for his shoulders to give them a rub, like he's done often over the years, and Albus rebuffing him -- recoiling like he was suddenly revolted by James' touch.

Seeing what he has just now in the mirror... Well, it's all starting to make a bit more sense.

James exhales carefully. "Albie..."

"It's nothing! It's nothing, all right? The mirror got it wrong, okay?"

James frowns but keeps his voice gentle. "The Mirror doesn't get it wrong."

Albus wipes angrily at his cheeks. "It doesn't matter, okay?" His voice cracks, and the sound goes right inside James' chest, making him feel somehow fractured. Albus tries to hurry past him, to leave, but James reacts on instinct and holds his arm out, stopping him with a hand on Albus' hip. Albus inhales sharply. He closes his eyes.

James looks down and sees the outline of his half-hard cock in his jeans. Merlin. He moves his hand onto his brother's waist instead. Albus' skin is hot under the cotton of his _Mutatio Skullus_ concert t-shirt. Albus has always run hot.

"Don't go," James says. Albus is breathing hard, and his stomach expands and contracts beneath the heel of James' hand. James tightens his fingers.

"I don't want your pity."

They're standing close, and James can smell the potions Albus puts in his hair to make it all spiky and punk. Unlike their dad, Al's always known how to make the Potter genetics work for him. "Albus..."

He throws James' hand off and stalks away. "Just leave me alone."

James watches him go, little puffs of dust rising from the floor in his wake. James looks back at the mirror, a slab of cold, silver glass. He finds he's too afraid to look inside.

*

James has never fancied his brother.

Unless you count getting half-hard while they've wrestled.

Unless you count the feeling of pride and near-possessiveness that sometimes infuses him.

Unless you count not ever thinking any bloke is good enough to date Albus and hence James, since the day his little brother came out fourth year, interrogating all his prospects until they either give up or cry or both.

And unless you count thinking he's the absolute bee's knees.

Albus is the bee's knees. He's kind and sweet; he's smarter than anyone else in the family; he's stellar with Potions, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and Runes and above average in everything else. He's cunning as any Slytherin's ever been, but he's never used it for anything but good.

He's also eerily beautiful in a way that's always been a bit unnerving.

And he's sensitive. Unlike James who took to Quidditch like a merperson to the lake and who can withstand a multi-house locker room ribbing like it's nothing, Al's always been easily upset. He used to be a complete handful when he'd take the barest slight and then storm off, his magic erratic and dangerous.

James has always been the one to calm him down.

So, how does he do that now... after _this_?

It's been a week, and James can't stop thinking about it. He questions his sanity. Was that _really_ him behind Albus in the mirror... doing... _that_?

It had certainly looked like him, his body drawn perfectly as though from someone's photographic memory -- which Albus has.

The long legs with their coarse dark hair had been his.

The tall, muscular frame, slightly more tan on the tops of his shoulders -- his.

The dark eyes, darker still from arousal -- his.

The cock pistoning in and out of Albus'... Well, it had definitely looked like James'. He should know. He's wanked it enough.

When the whole Weasley side of the family comes over for Dad's forty-second birthday, James attempts to lose himself in the festivities, to forget he even knows the Mirror of Erised is in the attic. Mum, Dad, Draco, and Uncle Ron decide a quick match is a good idea after dinner, and James couldn't agree more.

Albus never joins in. Neither do Lily or Teddy. They all tend to wander off indoors with Aunt Hermione, Rose, and Hugo when the Quaffle and brooms come out.

It gives James some time to fly and forget things. All he's thinking about is beating Dad to the Snitch, steering clear of Uncle George's Bludgers, not letting Scor's aggressive flying crash him into the big oak at the far end of the garden.

He works up a good sweat. Draco catches the Snitch, which pisses Dad off seeing as how Draco was supposed to be playing Chaser, and as they argue and bicker, James slips away to shower before the cake and presents.

He's quick about it, ignoring the halfie he's sporting, just getting himself clean. Once he's out, he charms the stubble from his chin and jaw, scrubs himself dry, dresses in a hurry, and opens the door to leave.

"Oh."

Albus is right there in the hall, waiting for the bathroom. "Took you long enough." He budges past James, smacking into his shoulder.

"Ow. What the fuck, Albus?"

But all he gets is a door slammed in his face. James goes to his room, intending to get his hair under control and maybe wank after all. He's as tense as he was before the bloody match. 

Yet when he's got the proper potion in his hair and he needs to set it with a Sticking charm, his wand's nowhere to be found.

"Shit." He must have left it in the bathroom. 

James stomps down the hall, irrationally cross with Albus for taking the bathroom so fast. He knocks. "Al? Al, I need back in." When there's no answer, he raps again. "I left my wand in there, Al."

Still no response. James rolls his eyes and tries the door. It's unlocked and comes ajar. James can hear the water running in the shower. He thinks about just backing away and waiting, but he's already got the potion in his hair. If he doesn't Stick it now, he'll just end up a stupid-looking manky mess. He was given this description of himself once by none other than Lily. Once was all he needed.

James steps inside, and when he doesn't see his wand right away, he gently snicks the door shut so that Albus' steam won't escape. He starts picking up Albus' clean clothes off the vanity, looking underneath for his wand. 

But then he hears it, and he freezes.

"Nnnn..." A soft, high-pitched whine from beyond the shower curtain.

James swallows.

Albus is panting quietly, and there's a wet, rhythmic, undeniable slap.

"J-Jamie..."

_Oh Merlin's balls._

And yeah, fuck the wand. James goes for the door, wanting out of the room as fast as possible. This, of course, has nothing to do with the fact that he's started to get hard from the desperate sounds his brother's making while he strokes one off in the shower.

He's tiptoeing, but that hardly matters when he trips over Albus' shoes and goes barreling into the door with a bang.

Albus' head pops out of the shower, his brows drawn down in a vicious scowl. "James, you bastard!"

For just that split second, James thinks, _What happened to 'J-Jamie'?_

He doesn't voice that, thank Merlin, spluttering, "I'm sorry! I just came in for my w--"

"Are you bloody happy?" Albus wails. He yanks the curtain open and steps naked out into the room. His cock juts out deep-pink and hard as hell, bouncing as he comes at James. Albus shoves him in the chest. "Are you just so fucking thrilled to out me as a pervert? You gonna tell everybody else now? Albus isn't just dodgier than Dad on his gayest days, he's got the horn for his own brother! 'He can't keep his bloody, pervert hands off me!' Is that what you'll say?" Albus shoves him again. There are tears in his eyes. "I'm so through with this family," he snarls, turning away.

James reacts on instinct, grabbing his arm and jerking him back around.

"Get your bloody hands off me!" He starts to fight.

But James has always been bigger, always been stronger, always excelled at sports when Albus preferred his time in the lab, getting his potions ingredients just right. James subdues him easily, wrangling Albus' arms down by his sides. The green of his eyes is almost completely drowned out by the black of his pupils.

"Fuck off!" He fights again, getting a hand free so that James has to chase it down.

He pins Albus back against the vanity with his hips, and Albus gasps, his cock now pressed hard between their bodies.

"Quit bloody fighting it," James grits out, only realising after the words are in the air between them that he phrased it wrong. 

Albus blinks up at him, furious. James frowns. He gulps. And then, arms still pinned to his sides, Albus leans forward and presses his mouth to the side of James' neck. James holds his breath as Albus kisses him there, opening his lips and running his tongue over James' pulse. James lets out his breath, eyes fluttering closed... and Albus sinks his teeth in and bites him. Hard.

"Shit!" James lurches back. Albus fights him again, a foreign heat in his eyes, rage in the set of his jaw.

James quits holding back, grabs Albus hard, spins him around, and then presses him to the vanity, his front to Albus' backside. James bends him, pulls his arm behind his back as Albus gasps, bracing his other hand against the mirror, and James realises he's pressing his own very hard cock up against the cleft of his brother's naked arse.

It's as though he comes out of an Imperius right then and there. Shit, he's got Albus -- who he _loves_ more than anything or anyone in the world -- bent over the counter, his arm jerked up behind, like he's... Like he's going to...

"Oh my God," James murmurs. He can't. He could never. He stumbles away until his own back hits the opposite wall.

Albus winces as he stands and brings his arm back around in front of himself, turning to James and rubbing his shoulder. There's blood on his lip. Merlin, when did _that_ happen?

James looks at Albus, horrified at himself, at all of it. But Albus smirks. He licks the blood from the small cut on his lip. He looks James up and down, something sick and hungry blooming in his gaze. He walks forward. He slides his hand up into James' hair, pressing his lips to James' chastely. He whispers, lips moving over James', "I'm sorry your brother's such a little freak."

The words break something loose inside him, and before he knows it, James is hauling Albus in, opening his lips with his own, and delving his tongue into Albus' sweet mouth. Albus groans as their tongues touch, and James plunders his mouth, his hands clutching at Albus' slender back. Albus winds his arms around James' neck, going up on tiptoe.

James picks him up easily and walks him backward to the vanity, depositing him on the edge. Albus strips James' shirt off over his head in one deft movement. He leans in and kisses James again, going for James' jeans, and once he's got them open, he shoves his hand inside, finds James' throbbing cock. He strokes.

James doesn't want to think it, not when it's Albus' hand wanking him off: that it feels so fucking good.

He breaks the kiss and drops his head onto Albus' shoulder. Albus tugs a twisting fist up and down his prick as it peeks over the top of his white pants. "Oh fuck..." James gasps against his brother's hot, damp skin.

Albus stops wanking him to shove his jeans and pants down his thighs. He scoots his arse to the very edge of the counter and then feels around in the jumble of his clothes and finds a tube of lubricant. He opens it, overturns it on James' cock, and goes back to working it in his hand. He spreads his legs.

"Albus..."

"Come on, Jamie. Do it." He aims James' cock, and the tip of the head touches his soft pucker. James inhales hard, unable to look at him. 

The mirror is right there. It's right fucking there, and in it his true reflection, their reality: James' hard cock poised to fuck and Albus urging him to do it.

"One quick thrust and it's done," Albus murmurs to him. "Come on, Jamie. Just this once. Merlin, please fuck me."

James can't take another word. He doesn't care about five minutes from now or the rest of his life; he only cares about this sick, horrible moment. He grits his teeth, growls, and then takes Albus' hips and thrusts himself inside just like Albus said -- quick and rough.

Albus gasps, clinging to him. "Oh, shit. James..."

James manhandles his brother's legs, getting them wrapped around his waist. He tugs Albus to him hard. And then he pounds into his gripping arse, fast and brutal. Once again, Albus' arms are slung around his neck. Albus drops his head back, going lax in James' strong embrace while James buries himself to the hilt again and again, growling and biting at Albus' neck now, hips going like a machine, Albus' arse the most perfect heat he's ever felt.

Albus lifts his head, his dark, drugged gaze finding James' hard one. Albus kisses him again, wet and so fucking dirty. James hammers into him, and Albus keens, a desperate little frown creasing his brows. "God, I knew you'd fuck like this," he says against James' mouth, "...knew you'd feel like this. Merlin, Jamie, I'm going to come."

And then he does, shivering and mewling in James' arms, his cock untouched and shooting between them, sticky hot ropes onto their stomachs. "James," he sighs. "Oh, Jamie."

It's the most heartbreaking, the most precious, the most arousing thing James has ever heard.

He pulls all the way out, hauling his brother off the counter with him. Albus puts his feet down, and James spins him away. Once again, he bends Albus over the counter, a hand in the middle of his back. James finds his relaxed arsehole, pushes back in, and then goes hard and fast behind him, looking down at where he enters Albus, sheathes inside him, pulls out, rubbing himself along tender, fucked-pink tissues.

Albus helps him, hefting a leg and propping it on the counter. He braces, lifts his flushed face, and stares at their reflection as they fuck. James finds his gaze in the mirror. Their gazes lock. Albus smiles at him. James growls, drops his gaze to where they're joined, and fucks into him in punishing, long strokes until he comes.

He comes so hard and so much that it starts to dribble out of Albus' arse. "God..." he groans. "Oh God, Albie..."

Albus smiles more, the light and happiness in it so wrong and beautiful. He rolls his hips, milking it out of James, laying his sweet, tousled head down on his arms on the counter.

It shouldn't have been so perfect.

It simply should not have been so bloody perfect.

James withdraws slowly, watching his softening cock fall out of his brother's stretched arse. His come leaks out and runs down Albus' bollocks. James doesn't think this will ever happen again, and he can't bear leaving. He pushes two fingers back into him, his heart rejoicing when his brother cries out and then backs into his hand. James finger-fucks him for a few slow, surreal moments, listening to Al's little sounds. Then he bends down and places a gentle kiss to the middle of Al's back. He stays there a long time.

He pulls back, extracting his fingers as Albus whines. Albus lets his leg come off the vanity. "Help me, would you?"

James is immediately right there, helping him to stand. Albus turns in his arms and cuddles into James' chest without a word. James hesitates but then wraps his arms around him tightly. He holds his little brother, rocking back and forth in the thick steam.

James holds him until his heart starts to hurt. But letting him go would hurt worse. He knows this.

"I don't want to love you this way," he whispers into Albus' hair. He turns his face and lays his cheek there, on top of Albus' head.

"What do you think you'd see, Jamie? If you looked into the Mirror?"

His arms tighten around his brother, and he closes his eyes again, unwilling to see, only willing, for now, to feel.

*

Somehow, they make it through the rest of the party. Dad opens his gifts, there are toasts. Rubeus Hagrid brought a cake the size of the entire dining room table. Hugo is especially ecstatic about this.

Things wind down. Mum leaves with Dean. Lily gets permission to spend the night with Rose. Scorpius and Teddy head off to the cinema. When the rest of the family's all gone, Dad asks James and Albus if they want to play Exploding Snap with him and Draco. James can tell Dad really wants to play with Draco alone -- and no game of Exploding Snap, for Merlin's sake. James, for his part, would rather boil his eyes in hot bubotuber pus.

"No, thanks. Think I'll make it an early night."

Dad hugs him good-night, smacking him on the back. "Thanks for the cuff links, Jamie."

"Well, they're having that ball to honour you for... whatever the fuck you did, right? I thought you could wear them to that."

Dad smiles. "I most definitely will." He turns to Albus and hugs him tight, no manly smacking for him. "Good-night, Al. Thank you for the potions. I can't believe how advanced your work is now. I'm so proud of you."

James watches Draco smile at the two of them behind their backs, nearly beaming, and then school his face to its typical casual boredom when they separate again.

"Good-night, Draco," James says. 

"Good-night, boys."

They trudge upstairs to their adjacent rooms, silent. James hears Draco laugh from the study... hears his father's answering chuckle. Then the single crack of their Side-Along. Bloody stupid lovesick arseholes. 

"Good-night, Al," James says at his door.

"Night, James."

James steps inside his room and gets ready for bed.

*

It's late. Almost three. The house is quiet except for the occasional groan. It's the ghoul. Thank Merlin. James is sure Dad and Draco have long since dropped off to sleep. 

He makes his way down the hall, up the attic stairs.

He can't sleep, not knowing.

He sits in front of the Mirror, but then finds he can't bring himself to look up. He just sits there, hugging his knees like a ponce.

He hears the footsteps and doesn't need to turn to know who has joined him.

"Hey," Albus says softly.

"Hey yourself."

Albus comes and sits next to him, close. This is normally when James would unthinkingly drape his arm around him, dragging him even closer. It wouldn't mean anything. 

James doesn't move. 

After a few moments of just breathing together, Albus takes James' hand and moves his arm until it's wrapped around his shoulders.

James peers down at him, and Albus smiles before ducking his head and curling into James' side. James tightens his arm. He pulls Al's legs into his lap and holds him. He lets out a deep sigh and feels like he's been holding his breath all night up to this point.

"So?" Albus asks. "What do you see?"

"Haven't looked yet."

"Some Gryffindor you are." Albus plays with the hem of James' t-shirt. "Well? Go on, then."

James feels fortified by the quiet -- and how he can hear the sturdy thudding of Albus' heart above it. His brother smells like butterscotch.

He lifts his face, eyes open, and an image coalesces in the glass. In it, Albus is tucked into his side, James' arm wrapped around his shoulders. Albus' legs are slung over his lap, James' hand grasping one thigh. His reflection bends down and places a lingering kiss on top of Albus' head. Albus sighs, a tender smile playing at his lips.

"What do you see?" Albus whispers, snuggling closer. 

James blinks at the mirror image. He turns his head, looking down at Albus. Then he presses a lingering kiss to his brother's hair.

"Fine, don't tell me," Albus yawns.

He sighs.

 


End file.
